Tunisian government plans social reforms after week of unrest

The North African country has been shaken by a wave of protests over poverty and unemployment during which hundreds of people were arrested...

Tunisian government plans social reforms after week of unrest

The North African country has been shaken by a wave of protests over poverty and unemployment during which hundreds of people were arrested...

14 January 2018 Sunday 16:38

By Azania Post Reporter

Tunisia’s government plans to increase aid to the poor and improve healthcare following a week of unrest triggered by austerity measures. This will be designed to stem a wave of protests which saw hundreds arrested in the country.

The social affairs minister, Mohamed Trabelsi, announced that the aid to the needy families would rise from 150 dinars (£45) to between 180 and 210 dinars.

He also said that reforms that have been in the pipeline for several months would guarantee medical care for all Tunisians and also provide housing to disadvantaged families. “This will concern about 250,000 families,” he said. “It will help the poor and middle class.”

The North African country has been shaken by a wave of protests over poverty and unemployment during which hundreds of people were arrested before the unrest tapered off.

“It’s a very advanced legal project, which was submitted to parliament and will be discussed over the next week,” said a government source.

The announcement came after the president, Beji Caid Essebsi, consulted with political parties, unions and employers. At the opening of his consultations, Essebsi accused the foreign press of “amplifying” the social unrest and damaging the country’s image in its coverage of protests.

The president said he would visit a disadvantaged neighbourhood of Tunis that had been the scene of street protests.

Tunisia whose economy has been hit by a collapse in tourism revenues following a wave of jihadist attacks in 2015, has secured a £2bn IMF loan in return for a reduction in its budget deficit and financial reforms.

The demonstrations broke out ahead of today’s anniversary of the toppling of veteran dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in a revolt that sparked uprisings across the Arab region. Activists and the opposition have called for fresh protests on Sunday.

The trigger for the protests on 7 January was the budget imposing tax hikes after a year of rising.

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